The Independent News Source
NCR on Kindle - NCR classifieds - YouTube - Twitter - Facebook - Email Alerts - RSS
PDF versionSex scandals come home for the Vatican
by John L Allen Jr on Mar. 05, 2010
As sexual scandals of various sorts have washed through the Catholic church around the world, the Vatican has typically tried to play a subordinate role – treating them as matters of grave concern, to be sure, but ultimately something for which local bishops must take the primary responsibility.
Two developments this week, however, bring those scandals home for the Holy See. One involves two lay Vatican employees fired after reportedly being caught up in a gay prostitution ring, the other turns on reports of abuse by priests connected to a German choir once directed by the pope’s brother.
The first story centers on an Italian layman named Angelo Balducci, a prominent public works official in Italy who was already at the center of controversy as a result of corruption charges. Balducci, who has enjoyed close relations with senior figures in both the Vatican and the Italian church, has denied any wrongdoing.
This week, Italian papers published transcripts of wiretaps that show Balducci apparently discussing the solicitation of gay prostitutes with a Nigerian in Rome named Ghinedu Ehiem. (Early media reports suggested that Ehiem was a member of a religious order, but the Vatican has denied that.)
Both men have Vatican ties: Ehiem sang in a chorus in St. Peter’s Basilica, while Balducci served as a “papal gentleman,” or “gentleman of His Holiness,” an honor typically reserved for distinguished laymen whose families have long-standing ties to the Vatican. The papal gentlemen are the tuxedo-clad ushers who escort visiting dignitaries when they meet the pope, and who seat VIPs during major papal events.
Both Balducci and Ehiem have been relieved of their positions in the Vatican, according to a report in the Italian news agency ANSA.
Those reports also suggest that at least some of the encounters Ehiem and Balducci discussed may have involved clergy, religious or seminarians. As Ehiem describes one potential encounter, Balducci is quoted as asking: “What time does he have to go back to the seminary?”
Meanwhile in Germany, Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller of Regensburg has released a letter acknowledging that a former member of the famed Domspatzen, or choir, in Regensburg has claimed that he was sexually abused by priests in the early 1960s.
Monsignor Georg Ratzinger, the brother of Pope Benedict XVI, served as Domkapellmeister, or conductor, of that choir (known as the “Sparrow’s Choir”) from 1964 to 1994. A mixed group of men and boys, the choir put out several successful recordings under Ratzinger and toured the world. In 1965, the choir performed under Ratzinger’s direction at the closing session of Vatican II.
NCR: February 3-16, 2012
Subscribe to NCR to get all the news and special features that aren't always available online. In this issue:
- US News: Bishops Host Conference on Immigration
Conference fields advocates' questions on law, policy
- Special Section: Deacons. Serving as parish administrator; roles of wives; and more
- Study: Black Catholics are more engaged
New study by Notre Dame researcher about parish involvement in America
There is no suggestion, according to media reports, that Ratzinger himself was involved in any abuse, and a spokesperson for the choir said the alleged abuse happened before Ratzinger took over. Ratzinger told a Bavarian public radio service on Friday that he was not aware of any such cases.
Georg Ratzinger was made a monsignor in 1968, and eventually raised to the rank of “Apostolic Pronotary,” the highest grade of monsignor. He holds the Bavarian Order of Merit for his work with the Regensburg choir.
According to the choir spokesperson, the abuse is alleged to have been committed by two members of religious orders, both of whom died in the 1980s. One reportedly worked at a school attended by members of the choir, the other directed a residence connected to the school.
A Vatican spokesperson said this week that while the Vatican is following the unfolding sexual abuse crisis in Germany closely, it has no plans to intervene directly with regard to the Regensburg choir.
After initial revelations centering on a Jesuit-run academy in Berlin, reports of sexual abuse committed by priests, religious and lay employees of the Catholic church have surfaced across Germany. The president of the German bishops’ conference, Archbishop Robert Zollitsch of Freiburg, has issued a public apology in the name of the church, and is scheduled to discuss the crisis with the pope on March 12.
Meanwhile, Holland has become the latest nation where a sex abuse scandal appears to be brewing.
According to a Dutch newspaper, accusations of abuse have been lodged against ten priests who worked at a Salesian-run college between 1959 and 1971. Bishop Adrian van Luyn of Rotterdam, president of the Dutch bishops’ conference, has announced an investigation, as has the country’s Minister of Justice.
Sources in Holland have told reporters that if the pattern observed in other countries holds, both the number of accusations and the number of church-affiliated institutions involved may mount in the days ahead.
A Salesian run college?
A Salesian run college?
It never ends does it? And
It never ends does it? And it won't as long as some people are put on pedestals or think they should be on one.
The reason the Vatican does
The reason the Vatican does not intervene in situations like the Regensburg choir or the case close about Vatican lay ties to prostitution is because they are linked to cover up and in some instances close involvement in cover up. Disgusting.
These problems don't exist in
These problems don't exist in the Roman Catholic Church alone. They also exist in various protestatant churches, i.e., the Missouri Synod (LCMS)of which I am a member, as well.
And now with the additional
And now with the additional scandal emerging at the vatican I have this to say: As an active Catholic today, I remain seriously conflicted. I accept promiscuity as a common human failing. (child abuse of course is something else entirely.) But the promiscuity of the church leadership sheds a whole new light on the Vatican edict disallowing the use of condoms. I am deeply conflicted by the Vatican's refusal to sanction the use of condoms in the third world. The cost in human lives and human suffering by that very edict remains immeasurable: millions of deaths by HIV every year, millions of orphaned children, years of excrutiating pain by those afflicted with the disease. The Vatican is supposed to have an open line to God. If they do, as I believe, they are not listening.
If the church leadership can't keep their own privates in their pants, how do they expect millions upon millions of their followers to do so? Statistically, by any responsible study, those who claim "abstinence" have just as much pre-marital sex as those who have no issues with pre-marital sex. The church has always failed in this regard. People always have and always will have sex before marriage - they're not going to win this one. And now the Vatican wants to say that AIDS is the appropriate and God sent consequence for premarital sex. This edict against condom use is pur and unadulterated human evil.
On this issue, the Vatican is clearly more interested in the greed of their self righteous opinions and not at all interested in respecting the first charge to we human beings from the Lord after the charge to love Him: to regard the sacredness of human life. It remains a stunning reality that the Catholic church, in this regard, is as much an enemy as an ally. The pathetic reality today is that the Church could take back 100% of it's charitable contributions and works, and still exhibit more Christian charity and selflessness, and do more Christian good for the world, by allowing the use of condoms. I am a wealthy businessperson and count 3 biological children and another 6 adopted children among my family. I do not raise my children Catholic and I will not. The hypocrisy of the Vatican's vicious self righteousness does not set an appropriate example for my children. Hitler himself believed his greedy personal beliefs to be sancitoned by God - and at some point what is predictable is that the toll in death and suffering inflicted by the self righteous old men at the Vatican will eventually equal that of Hitler's world war.
Evidently, the Vatican's Christian commitment extends only so far as it their ignorant self righteous opinions. If having to choose between God's love and their self righteousness, they choose self righteousness.
The falling participation with the Catholic church today is well deserved. On behalf of the millions of people across the african continent and those suffering this tragedy across the third world more generally - to the Vatican: shame on you all. I have only hatred and outrage in my heart for you men.
you are right on point.
you are right on point.
These 'scandals' had been
These 'scandals' had been brewing for the past 40 years. The Communists hated the Catholic Church; their plan to infiltrate and destroy. They literally sent out hundreds of men who had been indoctrinated to cause trouble especially during the turmultuous years after Vatican 2.
I blame JPII, this was on his watch, instead of running all around the world he should have been paying attention what was going on; he could have stopped this sordid mess.
The seminaries were not getting quality men they were getting whoever could pay the fees for schooling. The small percentage of good priests were few and far between.
We traveled a lot in the 70s and 80s we saw the quality was not there. We saw the Church become one big banner hanger, there was nothing of real Church history being taught in Confirmation catechism classes.
One youth minister told us 'they had evolved beyond transubstantiation!"
Our children do not go to Church even though I supplemented them with good sound Catholic teaching. I had no back up because the Church was letting it all go. It was 'all good' there was no more sin, happy days were here again.
I believe the gates of Hell will not prevail against the Church. I believe that God can turn all this evil scandal into the most beautiful good but in order to get there we are literally going to walk thought fire and only the strong are going to survive.
Thank God the Anglicans and Orthodox are returning they will be the backbone to remind us where we have been and where we need to be! Amen!
Proving once again that we
Proving once again that we laypersons need to pray: for our priests, that they stay faithful to their vocations; for our bishops; for our young people, that more will respond to God's call. In the aggregate, we have expected everything to work right without us doing any praying.
Sin exists. Temptations exist for clerics as well as laymen. Some people have inappropriately been approved for ordination as well as for consecration to the office of bishop. Still, we need to pray.
TeaPot562
I frankly feel its time for
I frankly feel its time for the international police agencies to step in and come down on the Vatican and the world's Cathoic bishops at large and bring them to the justice and punishment they deserve. The Catholic Church hasn't and apparently won't. If this be the demise of the Roman Chatholic priesthood, then so be it. I come from a long genealogy of Catholic layity, nuns and priest but the continued pontificating platitudes and apathy of the Vatican and bishops reveals their nothing more than a bunch of perverted demagogues and political elistis who feel they are above the faithful and the law. To hell with them. They want to push for the layity's involvement in the liturgy, fine. We'll do a better job than they have for the last fify five years. They are the reason for the mess the Church is in and they need to be held accountable. They are the ones failing Christ and creating schism. The pope is supposedly conservative but this is as believable as the tripe President Obama tries to sell the people of the U.S. when he says he is not socialist Marxist. Talk is cheap, it's the performance on the job that counts. It's time the faithful of the Catholic Church stood up and saved what's left of the teachings and religion entrusted to them from Christ and the apostles. It' become obvious the Vatican and bishops of the world won't. The Church is living off our dime and the Vatican and the bishops are selling out to corrupt governmental movements in backroom deal making to control and rob the peasantry, while they feast together at the table of corruption.
What exactly is the point of
What exactly is the point of this story?
Pope worship is a sin of all
Pope worship is a sin of all sins!
I am not the least bit surprised about the sex scandals and the devil worship for this Church of Rome is exactly what it is and a “doctrine of devils and Satan” that the Bible speaks and warns us about. God continues to expose this church of man and ceasar worship. Making up their own doctrinal laws rather than observing Gods laws including the Lords holydays they make up and worship their manmade holidays that are pagan in nature instead.
“come out of her my children and choose not to partake of her sins for her sins have reached the heights of heaven”.
Roman Catholics have butchered and murdering the true saints through out history “dont partake of drinking the wine of her fornication.”
Rome killed the apostles and the true saints and the blood of saints is on their hands. we learn that from the Bible and the Roman government dissapeared from sight and turned into a pagan religion. Simply put Rome never left and are Constantine Sun worshippers and worship on Sunday instead of the true Sabbath. God continues to expose this church of Satan and sexual immorality and death for what it is and what it has represented and it has a history of it. Let us not forget history this church is a monster and sin surrounds it for will be destroyed by the hand of God by the coming of the son of man! “the truth will be proclaimed from the rooftops” and the mighty God is still here and always has and is coming to claim what is His.
Until Joseph Ratzinger
Until Joseph Ratzinger embraces his own sexuality the Catholic Church under his reign of terror will continue to persecute gay priests, blaming them for the clergy abuse scandal, while simultaneously serving as a hotbed of male prostitution.
I'm not Catholic but I've
I'm not Catholic but I've known a lot of Catholics in my life, and this type of thing hurts your whole church.
In Romans 3:10-19, Paul notes
In Romans 3:10-19, Paul notes that we are all sinners. This remains true, even in the 21st century. Among other things, we lay-people should pray for our priests; they are tempted, even as we are. Even those who can teach you what the truth is can themselves fail to live it out in their lives. We need to pray more.
TeaPot562
I've got it! Let's
I've got it! Let's investigate women religious!
Post new comment